Race for White House gets closer than ever before

Cliffhanger. It is possibly the best description of the capricious political state of the USA. With elections just 26 days away, pollsters are having a tough time. Vice President Kamala Harris with 48.6 percent projected support is merely 2.7 points ahead of Former president Donald Trump at 45.9 percent according to poll by five thirty eight. This number is changing every single day. Over the last one week in Washington DC that leans towards Democrats I haven’t come across a single person who would pick a winner with any degree of certainty.

If one would have posed the question on June 27th the date of first presidential debate between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, not many would hesitate to say Trump.

However, the last 106 days have witnessed events that are unprecedented in the recent history of world’s oldest democracy.

On July 14 Trump survived an assignation attempt in Butler, Florida. Another plot to kill him was foiled in September, making him 13th US president to survive attempts on life. A week after the Butler incident, President Joe Biden abruptly, but to a loud cheer of Democratic supporters, bowed out of the race for the White House. This made him the first president to opt out of the electoral contest after announcing the candidature.

Half an hour later he announced on X that Vice president Harris would have his endorsement. This lifted the somber mood of the Democratic supporters and Harris according to the Associated Press added 81 million dollars in her campaign donations in 24 hours of being the nominee. She added another 47 million dollars in donations after her first debate with Trump.

Suddenly, Harris who according to political pundits and US media was a liability for the Biden campaign till July 21st, was the one who could script history by becoming the first female president.

Avinash Kalla Foreign Correspondent First India News